Are We Prepared for Radically Longer and Healthier Lives?
One year after my talk about the Future of Health at the Festival de las Ideas in Mexico, I revisit the question of how we can prepare for longer, more meaningful lives.
Are we prepared, as individuals, organizations, and societies, for radically longer and healthier lives? At the Festival de las Ideas in Mexico last year, I asked students, teachers, entrepreneurs, leaders, and other professionals to think deeply about this question.
Why are these conversations important now? Because developments in the longevity space are accelerating today, like:
💡 High-quality science from both research laboratories and companies exploring the fundamental mechanisms of aging,
💡 An expansion of the health and digital markers that yield insights into the aging process, meaning that death isn’t the only endpoint for longevity science, and
💡 Growing interest in the economic, political, and social impacts of longer, healthier human lives.
To me, all three of these accelerations indicate that now is an important moment for us to think about what we can do as individuals, leaders, and communities to enable the best possible futures given these trends. Here are a few questions you can ask in the various walks of your life.
What can I do today to support my healthy aging, and that of my family?
Start with diet, exercise, sleep, and a gratitude practice. Take a look at my article on how wearables can help you reach your health goals. | Image credits: Kanut photo via Shutterstock.
Start with the low-hanging fruit of improving diet, exercise, and sleep. Consider beginning a mindfulness or gratitude practice. See what aspects of your health you can measure, to help support your new behaviors. Get curious about longevity science—the real stuff, not the sales pitches and the hype. And embrace a mindset that emphasizes positive action and a sense of purpose.
💡 None of these strategies are flashy, science fiction-esque approaches, but there’s plenty of evidence for their importance.
And they’ll help us stay alive as we wait for safe and effective scientific approaches with potentially dramatic impact on the biology of aging.
What can my organization do to stay relevant in a world of longer lifespans?
Image credits: Frame Stock Footage via Shutterstock.
Think creatively about the products, services, technologies, and data that your organization is already using. Are there any links to health and wellness that could possibly contribute to longer, healthier lives?
💡 Before you answer “I don’t work in healthcare”, consider that these links could be non-obvious, or require a bit of experimentation to determine whether there really is a connection.
Also, how will your organization operate in a world with 100-year client relationships? Are there experiments or processes that you need to work on today, so that you are ready for that future?
As communities and societies, how are our cultural values and narratives enabling—or hindering—possible futures of longer, healthier lives?
What stories are we telling? | Image credits: Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz via Shutterstock.
Culture and identity run deep. Uncertainty is scary. Change is hard, particularly when we’ve spent decades thinking we knew what the goal looks like. Right now, stressors like climate change and disruption from AI and robotics are inspiring/forcing us to think differently about what is possible. I think we need to add increased longevity to that list. I also think that we need to take a close look at the stories that we tell ourselves, and ask whether those stories are still serving us in this rapidly changing world. What new stories could we be telling?
The Power of Mindset
Recently, in a political advisory meeting, I was asked whether longer lives were a threat or an opportunity.
💡 “That’s up to you and your mindset,” I replied. “What’s it going to be?”
If that last question fascinates you like it fascinates me, then check out the links that I’ll drop below. These deeper dives can engage your curiosity and your critical thinking about healthier, longer lives.
Revisiting Festival de las Ideas 2022
Below are photos from my Future of Health talk at the Festival de las Ideas in Mexico. You can read about my key takeaways from the event in the blog article I wrote.
You can watch the video of my talk here.
Do you or your organization want to help build the best possible future?
Check out my website to learn more about ways we can work together.
Or send me a message, and let’s talk!
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany Vora speaks, writes, and advises on how to harness technology to build the best possible future(s). She is an expert in biotech, health, & innovation.
For a full list of topics and ways to collaborate, visit Tiffany’s Work Together webpage.
Donate = Impact
After a 19-day voyage to Antarctica aboard The Island Sky in November 2023, Tiffany has many remarkable stories to share & a wealth of insights to catalyze a sustainable future.
You can support her ongoing journey by making a contribution through her donation page. Your support will spread positive impact around the world, empower Tiffany to protect time for impact-focused projects, and support logistical costs for pro bono events with students & nonprofits.
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